1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates generally to an apparatus, process, and article of manufacture for detecting head disc interference in hard disc drives, and in particular to embodiments for detecting head disc interference by determining the spread or distribution of the read back signal frequency.
2. Description of Related Art.
Modern computers use various forms of persistent storage media to store electronic information, such as computer data files or program files. One common form of storage media is a hard disc drive. Since important data may be stored on the drive permanently, detecting and repairing a defective drive may prevent the loss of valuable information. Some current methods for detecting defects and predicting drive failure require additional hardware. For example, sensors or Laser Doppler Vibrometers are used to detect improper oscillation of a drive's heads. This additional hardware can increase the component count and the overall system costs.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a method of predicting drive failures without using additional hardware.